Here is my dilemma... buy now and wait or....

[carl2591]

Our plan is to go RVing in some 5-7 yrs and I am looking at what might be a good tow vehicle along the way before we need it. I was reading post on another thread and see a guy using a Jeep Grand Cherokee with diesel from 2007. I reached out to him and got a lot of good info and found out this is the same engine and trans as in a Mercedes.

I have been looking around and found several 2007 and 08 (last year they did the diesel) with 70 to 90,000 miles for 17K -19K and loaded..

SO, my thinking is buy one now and just hang on to it for some years as this type of deal may not be around with the engine / transmission diesel combo for this prices...or just wait to see what happens.. I am trying to avoid the new car/truck deprecation trap by buying used..

I have several other vehicles so miles on unit going forward will be low 2-3,000 a year, just enough to keep it from being a problem and then when we get a AS we will be able to take it out for test runs and when the RV show comes to town maybe use it to haul trailers for local camping world dealer for money or stuff..

SOoooo what is your thinking about this i-deer.. (lizard lick towing quote)

good

bad

don't care.. etc

comments.. thanks to all.

[SteveH]

Don't want to sound negative, but every time I make a move based on a long term plan, the plan changes before it all comes to pass. And even worse, it seems every time I buy a vehicle, no matter how much I like it at the time, within a year or two something comes out that I'd much rather have, and I've been buying used for quite a while.

Hope you plans work out better than mine have.

[Jim Flower]

Carl, it's a good idea to go camping and a bad idea to wait. I agree with Steve. Things change. I am very happy with my 2008 Jeep diesel but I would be careful to ensure that you have a reliable independent shop that can fix the thing since the dealers have proven (to me) to be less than helpful. Mine now has 322,000 k on it and the only thing associated with the motor that has been repaired is the plastic duct for the turbo, nine day back order in the US, one day service in Canada. We have more diesels since our cost of fuel is less than gas. Lots of other stuff on the Jeep has been repaired, but I use the thing a lot. Not as good as some vehicles, but its made in America. Jim

[dkottum]

I'd wait 5-7 years and if the plan is still on, buy a used and depreciated 2014 GC diesel. These will have a more efficient engine and 8 speed transmission, and independent rear suspension for much better stability.

You won't have to maintain it for 5-7 years, and like Steve said, plans change.

[65CV]

That's a very expensive transmission to replace at 105k miles. Don't ask me how I know. Towing a '65 Caravel, not a large or heavy trailer.

[carl2591]

OK i get it.. wait a fewwww years...

That was kinda what i was figuring but like to get a second, third etc options.

I know stuff will "be" better in 5 yrs or so. my main issue will be what will price of fuel be by then.. if you look back 5 yrs gas was 2.78 then dropped to 1.61 in short order to head back up of the next 5 yrs to where we are today at $3.28 in my area for RUL gas.. diesel at $3.89

Historical Gas Price Charts - GasBuddy.com


just in looking at this the price could be some $6.20 gallon for RUL and more for diesel. so you have to wonder what is going on and waht can happen..

here hoping for the best.

[John&Vicki]

Might be a better idea to buy the diesel now.

Poppy

[F450Harley]

Carl,
Great advice from all and my question is - do you have a travel trailer now or you plan to buy in 5-7 years?. If not , I personally bought my Airstream first and TV much later. There are a lot of great deals on Airstreams (used. & almost new) now compared to 5 yrs ago due to the crash in our economy and it doesn't look like it's going to stay that way in 5-7 yrs. Airstream design and components have been same with minor changes in the past decade and most likely same for the next 5-7 yrs. On the contrary TV technology is drastically changing so take advantage of the readily available deals on AS if you can afford it now and pay it off early (low interest rate). More diesel TV are coming out (competition due to clean fuel & mpg mandates) and the price of used ones with better technology & efficiency will drop compared to value per $ today. You can even rent TVs once a while to tow your AS camping prior to 5-7yrs projected date of owning your dream TV. That will even give you the opportunity to test many TVs. Just my 2cents and best wishes.

[Steve & Mary]

We purchased our trailer new back the end of 2008. Our plans were to get back into camping and start filling the "bucket" list in preparation for retirement. We made a good buy on the trailer at the time. But the unfortunate part has been we seem to have not found the time to use it like we had planned. Still.... we continue to fill the bucket list. I knew when we purchased the 31ft. our 2007 Exp. EL would be loaded. Last year we added the new F-250 diesel so the tow vehicle issue is settled. Next year is retirement and even though our trailer is a 2008 it still lookes brand new since we are able to keep it under an awning. You don't mention what size of trailer you plan to pull. I would not purchase anything until I had that issue settled. We visited a large AS dealer who had just about every trailer AS built. Keep in mind after the market crash dealers had a lot of new trailers sitting on their lots. Once we figured out the floor plan we wanted we started looking at options and then searched the web for the trailer we wanted. It all takes a bit of work but I think it pays off in the long run. I wish you luck.

[slowmover]

In order of purchase I would get the TT first and the TV second. It is the FAR more important purchase. And, being an A/S, any of a number of vehicles can tow it.

For the non-fulltimer -- the vacationer -- the solo miles rule in purchasing a TV (sme for when "economy" counts). Use Andrew_T's recent lash-up of a V6 Dodge Charger w/8-speed transmission pulling a 30' as a point of departure. An annual budget delineating miles over a given period of ownership is basic to this exercise (see EDMUNDS "True Cost of Ownership") so whip up some numbers to fill in the charts and figure towing mpg at around the combined EPA gas mileage figure. Over, say, 5-years and 60k miles one wants to know the cents-per-mile [cpm] result, and not just for fuel (as in my sig).

In the sixties and into the seventies a Chrysler product was the gold standard for the suspension, drivetrain and braking. So thought many if not most police agencies in that time. "Tow packages" were often the police spec equipment bundled for public consumption in a Monaco or Fury. The current Charger (or Chrysler 300) -- both as a fleet vehicle, and well understood by CAN AM RV -- is worth your time (a Mercedes-derived chassis, too) to use a reference.

TT disc brakes (anti-lock) and hitch apparatus is worth more time than the TV, and worth getting right the first time. The cart comes before the horse when it comes to this.

[Mulligan]

Hi, for what its worth, these are my thoughts from across the pond.
Just my opinion, Europe seems to be ahead of you when it comes to diesels at the moment, Smaller engines but with more power and better efficiency
i think that it is to do with our sky high fuel costs diesel is £6.12 per gallon which is $9.88 at todays rate, i drive a current model Nissan navara which is same as your Nissan Frontier (4ltr V8) it has 2.5ltr diesel i get over 40 mpg on the motorway, around town low 30's and towing the overlander late 29-31mpg which is amazing for a smallish pick-up (compared to your monsters !!) A friend of mine in Kansas has a 2012 F350 diesel which he crows about because it has the new ford engine, in short, you are starting to get some really good modern diesels now and they're going to get better, so hang on 3-4 yrs let somebody else take the depreciation, and you'll get a great TV

[ROBERT CROSS]

Wait....a toe-vehicle not toeing is a waste of $.

Decide on the cart, then worry about the horse.



Bob

[Skater]

If you're really going to wait 5+ years to buy a trailer and have no real need for that vehicle now: Wait. Trucks and cars are getting better and better every year. Today's brand new will be at least 5 years old then. In the meantime you'll have all of the insurance, maintenance, etc. of the vehicle.

[mandolindave]

Towing capabilities and quality of some of the newer vehicles have gotten so much better. How can the manufacturers do that while trying to get their fleet MPG down to meet pressures from the government ( and consumers )?

#1 I agree, wait until you have a trailer

#2 I wouldn't base my tow vehicle decision on one side of the fence

#3 If you try to compromise by getting a vehicle that is a good everyday vehicle, and a good tow vehicle, you will be compromising.

#4 If you have a dream, why wait. Go for it.

[JamuJoe]

Carl,
Good for you. Plans are what turn dreams into reality. I just sold my 08 GC Diesel, and loved it as a do-everything vehicle. Felt so good about it at 106,000 mi (30,000 towing the FC23FB) that I sold it to my son. Replacing it with a 2014 GC Diesel for the many technical improvements, higher torque, 8 sp trans, etc. That said, I wouldn't buy a car to just let it just sit idle. In 5 years you could buy a well depreciated GC Diesel (or whatever) with the newer technology. You don't mention your RV experience. If none, I'd suggest that you dip you toe into RV'ing with vacation rentals to see if you really like it. Try different options. Don't worry about predicting fuel prices - they have and will continue rise slower than milk and beer, with short term fluctuations due to season, supply & demand and politics. Stay flexible, travel far when you can, travel near when it makes more sense. I towed over 10,000 miles this year, my neighbor with a similar Airstream towed about 100 miles (great camping isn't far from us in SW Colorado), and we both were happy.

[Royce]

Originally Posted by 65CV

That's a very expensive transmission to replace at 105k miles. Don't ask me how I know. Towing a '65 Caravel, not a large or heavy trailer.

Second that. While considering a trade up on the Wrangler, I talked to three different transmission shops here in COS. They all said that the Mercedes transmission would NOT last as long as the NV4500 I had in the current Jeep, but at least it would be very expensive to repair.

[kscherzi]

Originally Posted by carl2591

Our plan is to go RVing in some 5-7 yrs and I am looking at what might be a good tow vehicle along the way before we need it. :

I don't think you have a dilemma. Whatever you buy now you'll want to replace in 5-7 years.

[carl2591]

Thanks for all the great comments..

Seems like this questions is like the the "4x4 vs 2x4" or "Gas vs Diesel" question having many angles to look at was well..

The plans are for a 28ft #1 and 30Ft #2 choice.. I have seen some good deals on used AS for sure and have thought much about getting trailer first then TV second.. problem is I have no way to get it home or to storage area with what is have on hand.. I do have a e-250 with 5.7lt v-8 van but that is used as carpet cleaning van so it petty well loaded now.

I hear the comments about how the Toe Vehicle landscape will be changing over the next 4-5 yrs for sure..

Like our friend for over the pond was showing you can get good pulling with smaller more powerful diesel engines.. and some great MPG towing at 29-30.. (you sure about that man causes that sounds too good to be true) I see one problem is the US is not allowing the same diesel to be sold here as are sold in other counties due to EPA emission BS.. (big oil at work?)

And ROber:: and TV not towing is a waste of money but what is a TV.. I can toe with my impala LTZ as i do my small utility trailer ?? but i get the point.

Will it get better?? who knows.. and as for deals on TV going forward, at some point the stock market will have to take a body blow for all the money that is being printed and the real cost of health care will start to come in focus, so i see the county heading to another good size down turn for a couple years at least.

That might created some deals or it might go to s#$t.. who know.. but i do have a plan for the most part, or we can do what they did in the movie Mad Max beyond thunder dome when stealing the Truck on the rails... " plan, plan.. there aint no plan... " and just head off into the sunset..

now there's a plan

[Mulligan]

[QUOTE=carl2591;1371023]Thanks for all the great comments..



Like our friend for over the pond was showing you can get good pulling with smaller more powerful diesel engines.. and some great MPG towing at 29-30.. (you sure about that man causes that sounds too good to be true) I see one problem is the US is not allowing the same diesel to be sold here as are sold in other counties due to EPA emission BS.. (big oil at work?)

Hi Carl,
Yep, those figures are 100% correct. i know its hard to believe
Our emissions are pretty tight over here too !
The Nissan specs
2.5ltr
204 BHP
430lbs Torque

I wouldn't want to tow any bigger than a 70's Overlander due to tongue weight and we don't have WDH over here.

Cheers
Tim

[carl2591]

Tim
how much does your unit weight now?? if you had a weight dist hitch how much would you feel good pulling and stopping?? the newer 28 ft's are gross around 9k .

man that is an amazing number for towing.. if that flat land or hills you get that kinda mileage..



[QUOTE=Mulligan;1371274]

Originally Posted by carl2591

Thanks for all the great comments..



Like our friend for over the pond was showing you can get good pulling with smaller more powerful diesel engines.. and some great MPG towing at 29-30.. (you sure about that man causes that sounds too good to be true) I see one problem is the US is not allowing the same diesel to be sold here as are sold in other counties due to EPA emission BS.. (big oil at work?)

Hi Carl,
Yep, those figures are 100% correct. i know its hard to believe
Our emissions are pretty tight over here too !
The Nissan specs
2.5ltr
204 BHP
430lbs Torque

I wouldn't want to tow any bigger than a 70's Overlander due to tongue weight and we don't have WDH over here.

Cheers
Tim